IND vs PAK: Indian players forced to train indoors due to heavy rain in Colombo ahead of Asia Cup match

Indian players were forced to train at the Gamini Dissanayake Indoor Cricket Nets, Nondescripts Cricket Club because of heavy rain in Colombo ahead of the Super 4s Asia Cup match against Pakistan.

Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Suryakumar Yadav, among others, were seen practicing in the nets with KL Rahul ahead of the key Super 4s match against Pakistan. Notably, the group match between the two archrivals last week was rained out due to heavy rain before the start of the second innings.

With four practice wickets available, India players such as Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shardul Thakur took turns batting. With Shaheen Afridi taking two early wickets in their first match, India's batters were subjected to throwdowns resembling left-arm pacers. To meet the needs of the batters, head coach Rahul Dravid, batting coach Vikram Rathour, and other throwdown specialists switched nets.

As the much-anticipated Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan draws near, the Indian cricket team again finds itself grappling with unfavorable weather conditions in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The city, known for



its tropical monsoon climate, is currently experiencing heavy rainfall, forcing the players to adapt their training routines accordingly.

The Weather Channel's 10-day forecast for Colombo indicates a high chance of thunderstorms, with rain probabilities ranging from 60% to 100%. The temperatures are expected to hover around 76°F to 88°F, with winds blowing at a speed of 5 to 10 mph from the southwest. The humidity levels are also predicted to be high, adding to the challenging conditions.

The match is scheduled to take place at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 10, 2023. However, the weather forecasts suggest that the teams might have to face disruptions due to the rain. The Asian Cricket Council has decided to stick to the original schedule, expecting the weather to improve over the weekend.

There is a one-day gap between the India-Pakistan match, the Sri Lanka-India match, and the Sri Lanka-Pakistan match. Similarly, there is a two-day gap between the last Super Four match and the final on September 17. While the ACC has reserved a day for the final, it has not yet announced reserve days for other matches.